The idea of New Year resolutions are like a scale, for some it’s their holy grail while for others they are weighed down by the idea of setting resolutions. Let’s shake things up a bit by setting the theme for this year, I have 3 in mind that I’d like to share in case you do not know where to start.
- Intentionality
- Self-Discipline
- Self-Care
Now you can shift the order if you’re the visuals type that likes things to match your order of importance but I think we can agree that these 3 themes can make for a prosperous foundation to personal growth and development. With all that has transpired within the first 48-72 hours of this year some of us can agree that we’d like a do-over, this whole month was full of drastic shifts and tragedy. If you’re anything like me some of the news has trigger you in ways you thought you’ve overcome. Do not get discouraged or put yourself down for FEELING, understand that you have free will to get your do-over each day you are blessed with life. I have been deepening my faith lately and finding peace in scripture especially with the way of the world today, in Matthew 20:25 (NLT) Jesus said to his disciples “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.” Going on to tell them “But among you it will be different.” The idea that we have to serve others above all the distractions of this world is really what keeps me grounded while being reminded that it will be different for me keeps me away from meeting hatred with hatred. Knowing that at the end of the day no matter what those in positions of authority do, the day has to end and how we make use of our 24 hours is what will help us sleep at night. This doesn’t mean that we don’t address the craziness of the world, we are human and feel for the tragedy we witness and / or encounter. This simply means that what we are seeing technically isn’t new, this is the way of this world and unfortunately there is wickedness throughout this earth BUT we have the free will to make choices on how we will navigate through all that this life comes with.
With that being said may the people we lost in the tragic New Orleans attack, New York City stabbing’s, that cyber truck explosion rest in paradise at the top of the month to the deadly American Airline and Military Helicopter collision at the end of this month. We are only one month into 2025 and there has been major shifts in the world as we know it, heightened tragedy and events that can trigger each of us but navigating through our days with the 3 themes of the year in mind can give us a sense of balance with all that is happening to distract us and suppress us.
The way of this world can really drain you if you aren’t careful to protect yourself, whether that be mentally, physically, emotionally or spiritually. This is the reason intentionality is first on my list of themes because if I am not intentional with all that I do, engage with, consume and align with I will fall into the trap of being drained of what is going on around the world. To be intentional means to make deliberate choices and actions with a clear purpose in mind. What is your purpose? What do you want to achieve? What do you want to prioritize?
Give these questions some thought then write it out. Being intentional is an ongoing adapted mindset, you continue to lean on your purpose, priorities and passion with a conscious decision making mindset. Watch the shifts that come about when you implement being intentional into your daily habits, actions and thought process.
With intentionality comes self-discipline, you have to constantly make conscious based decisions in order to reach your desired goals. Each conscious decision fills your self-discipline cup, most times we strike out of the journey because we are not counting the small wins. Let’s say you make a poor decision, if you harp on that one decision for too long you forget that positive decision you made to take that risk you did before that or even after the poor one. Going a bit further, you may not appreciate the next positive decision you make because you’re still self destructing over the one poor decision you made. It’s not going to be a perfect journey and you are not going to get it all right each step of the way BUT you are still filling that cup with each conscious decision.
Self-discipline is the ability to correct or regulate oneself for the sake of improvement. It is not defined as perfect, it is actually a progressive act which requires building up fundamental skills and that takes time and practice to enhance it. You are forming a base or core that is important to you, that happens overtime so give yourself grace on the journey and watch your core tighten and strengthen as you progress.
The most important of the themes is self-care, we always hear people say “if you look good you feel good”. They even say “health is wealth.” I believe both to be true depending on your perspective of feeling, good, health and wealth. Just like for anything, what does anything mean to you? What is specific to you? I can rave about how if you get up and put on an classy outfit, do your makeup for the ladies or get a fresh haircut for the men you will feel better but what if that’s not the cloth you’re cut from? Then the saying doesn’t apply, but if we look at these terms from a personal perspective, which is specific to the individual, being you, then we make it apply because what feels good to me may be different from what feels good to you, what health and wealth look like for me may be different for you. So let’s not get caught up in the overview of it all but the simplicity of what it can mean for you individually.
Finding what works for you in this season of your life, being intentional about those things and what you want to make of it, building up the fundamental skills to fill your self-discipline cup and simply determining what self-care looks like for you can make for a prosperous blueprint to your 2025.
So I will leave you with this: DREAM REACH ACHIEVE PROSPER !
Ephesians 3:20 (NLT) “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”
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